When it comes to football contracts, the small print can sometimes reveal more than just salary figures and standard clauses. In fact, some players have found themselves agreeing to terms that are nothing short of bizarre. Topping the list of football’s most peculiar contract demands is a story involving former Cardiff City defender Spencer Prior and an extraordinary stipulation about sheep.
Sam Hammam, the eccentric former owner of Cardiff City, was notorious for the unusual clauses he inserted into players’ contracts. The most infamous of these is surely the clause included in Spencer Prior’s move from Manchester City, which stated that he must eat both the brain and the testicles of a sheep, along with a raw liver still swimming in blood – a nod to Hammam’s Lebanese heritage where this is considered a delicacy. Prior took on the challenge with a pinch of salt, lemon, and a little parsley, only to find out later that the delicacy was actually slow-cooked chicken in disguise. Hammam’s maverick approach to contracts was more than just a quirky eccentricity; it was a testament to his colorful leadership style that once dominated the Welsh club.
Prior had to prove by having “a physical liaison with a sheep,” explained Hammam, “he needs to prove to the people of Wales that he understands the place – then he can become a true leader. While the clause was intended as a humorous nod to an unfortunate stereotype about the Welsh, it certainly raised eyebrows. Hammam even joked about offering Prior two sheep to choose from and providing him with an inflatable sheep to perfect his technique – a tall tale that illustrates the bizarre lengths football clubs have historically gone to in making signings.
While these wild clauses were meant in jest, the football world has witnessed several real, yet equally strange contractual demands over the years. From Denis Bergkamp’s infamous ‘no-fly’ clause at Arsenal, due to his fear of flying, to Sunderland including a clause that voided Stefan Schwarz’s contract if he ventured into space, football has a rich history of curious contract caveats.
Suarez’s notorious ‘no-biting’ clause following his move to Barcelona from Liverpool is yet another reminder of the lengths clubs will go to protect their interests, albeit in response to the player’s previous misconduct. Similarly, Mario Balotelli’s contract with Liverpool included a good conduct clause, a precaution taken by the club aware of his penchant for controversy.
Clubs sometimes go to great lengths to accommodate or discipline their players, as Crystal Palace did by imposing a weight clause on Neil Ruddock, penalizing him for being over a certain weight.
Relevant articles:
– From Sheep Liaisons to Space Travel: Football’s Wildest Contract Clauses, Featuring Spencer Prior
– 10 strangest transfer clauses from Firmino’s anti-Arsenal proviso to Bergkamp’s flying demands, 7 Dec, 2020
– Five bizarre contract clauses – from Neil Ruddock’s weight to Stefan Schwarz in space, 11 JAN, 2022